Gas-engine starter.



Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

J. P. EDWARDS, -GAs ENGINE STARTER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, 1910.

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. Unrrnn srajrns PATENT f JosIAH r. EDWARDS, or KNIGH'rsroWN, INDIANA,

GAS-ENGINE STARTER. v

' Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

`Alioplrcation'filed July 23,' 1910. Serial No. 573,577.

To all whom it fm1/ Llv concern:

Be it known that I, J estara/1 ,citizen of the United States, residing at Knightstown,- in thecounty of Henry and- State of Indiana, have invented` al new and.

useful-'GasiEngine Starter, of which .the following is aspeciiication. v v

, `The oblject of my invention isto produce a simple' yet efficient device bymeans of which a gas engine may be started by means of. air pressure from anfauXilia'r-y reservoir which air pressure is obtained by means of .a.pumpfautomaticallyoperated bythe 'direct action of the explosions within oneor Vmore of theengine cylinders.'

- The accompanying drawingsillustrate my invention.` Figure 1..is aside elevation vof* lan apparat-us Vembodying my invention, and Fig. 2 'is 'avertical section through'the valve cham-l `loer. and pump.'

In the fdravvin`g`s` t0 indicates the 'main'- ibody ofthe engine land 11 one of its cylinders.- Leading from the upper end of cylinder 11 is a pipe which leads into a pump head 1 3having a face 14 provided with circumferential corrugations. Mating with head 13 is a head l'ha'ving a face 16 with circumferential cor'rugations which. partly mate with vthe* corrugations of face 14 but` SufB-- ciently depart there" :om to forma chamber `17 in Which is mounted a flexible corrugated l diaphrag1n18normally lying close to face' 14. Thefstraight cirpumferential edge of the diaphragm is vclamped between yielding 'gaskets 19 andthe circumferential edges of J:he two heads 13'and 15, suitable clamping bolts 21 being provided for thatpurpose.

Leading into chamber 17 through head' 15 is a suitable air inlet valve 22 and leading out from said chamber is a suitable air outlet valve 23 which delivers into la pipe 24 lead-` ing into reservoir' 25.- Leading from reservoir'25 is apipe 26to the end of which is,

secured aflexible pipe 27 which, in turn lis connected toa nipple 28 leading into a valve chamber 29 which is formedwithin a shift#y ing valve-box' 31 mounted in suitablev guide Ways 324v formed on the main frame 10. Springs 33 serve to normally hold-thebox 31 in the position shown vin theV drawings'. Leading from chamber 29 is a suitable series of' outlet passages 34 in each of which is 'mounte'd-a valve 35 normally held closed by 5552i spring. 36.` Leading 'from each passage 34 P.- EDwARDs, a.

is a passage 37 which leads to the inlet passage `of 'one of the cylinders 11.

plungers 39 are adapted to be engaged by cams 42 carried by a cam shaft 43. These cams may be placed on the cam shaft of the engine or on a separate one, as may be de action of springs 33'by any suitab e means, such for instance as a-foot-leve`rl44 carried to a point within easy access of 'the operator. Explosions within cylinder llandtheresilience ofthe diaphra'gmcause, .freciproca-vv tions of the diaphragm 18 which" thus cause" inflow of air throughvalve 22 intochamlo'er, -17 and the outflow of such air through valve 23 into reservoir 25. With the parts in the position shown in the drawings, valves 35 Aare normally closed and no air flows vfrom i l .the reserveir., NVhen it is desired to start'the sired. Head 31 may be-shifted-a ainst the engine, the operator pressesupon lever 4'4 so as to lshift box 31 .against the -action of springs 33 and thus'cause stems 38 to drive lplungers 39; downwardly intof engagementwith their cams 42.-. One ofthe cams will be fin such position jas'to cause its plunger 39 to resist further movement and thus cause an compressed air to iow from reservoir 25 into that particular cylinder 11 whose piston is in proper position to receive a driving force, As long as lever 44 remains depressed,' .theair fromthe reservoir 25 will continue `to yopening of the proper valve 35 to permit the flow into the engine, being distributed by the valves 35 to the propercylinders as their pistons move. As soonas theengine has been started with sufficient speed, it willbe i vdriven by its own power and the operatorl will release lever 44 and the flow of air from reservoir25 will be discontinued.

'I claim as my invention:

1. The combination, with an internal combustion engine, of an air reservoir, a diahragm vpump arranged to be acted upon y the exploded gases ofone of the engine cylinders, said pump having air inlet and- Voutlet valves 'upon that side opposite that 'affected by the engine' gases, an air reservoir, a connectionbetween said" airreservoir and 'the outlet valve of the pump, la valve box, a connection between said valve box and the reservoir, passages from said valve box to-the individual cylinders of the engine, a valve for each of said passages, means for normally holding each of said valves closed, means for operating said valve, and means for 'rendering active or inactive the connection between said operating means and saidvalves.

2. The combination, with an internal combustion engine, o-anv air reservoir, a pump arranged to be acted upon by the exploded gases of one oi the engine cylinders, said pump having air` inlet and outlet valves upon that side opposite that affected ,by thel engine gases, an air reservoir, a connection betweenysaid air reservoir and the outlet valve of. the pump, a valve box, a connection between said valve box and the reservoir, passages from said valve box to the individual cylinders of the engine, a valve for each of, said passages, means for normally holding each of said valves closed, means for operating said valves, and means for 'rendering active or inactive the connection between said operating valves.l

3. The combination, with an internal combustion engine, of an air reservoir, a diaphragm pump arranged to be acted upon' by the exploded gases of one of the engine cylinders, said pump having air inlet and outlet valves upon that side opposite that affected by the engine gases, an air reservoir, a connection between said air reservoir andthe 'outlet valve of'y the pump, a valve box, a connection between said valve box and the reservoir, passages from said valve box to the individual cylinders of the engine, a valve for each of said passages, means for normally holding each of said valvesV closed, means for ,operating said valves, means for shifting the valve box to bring the valves thereof into activel or inactive position relative to the operating means, and means for normally holding said valve box in position'to hold the valves in inactive position.

ll. The combination, with an internal coinbustion engine, of an air reservoir, a pump arranged tobe acted upon by the exploded ,gases of one of the engine cylinders, said pump having air inlet and outlet 'valves means and said @eaves n upon that side opposite that affected by the engine gases, an air reservoir, a.c0n-A .nection between said air reservoir and the outlet valve of the pump, a valve boxa con'- nection between said valve box and thereservoir, passages from said valve boxto the'l individual cylinders offthe engine, al valve for each; of 'said passages, `means for nor` mally holding each of said valves closed, means for operating said valves, meansvfor shiftinof the valve box to bring the valves p thereoP into active or inactive position rela-v tive to' vthe operating means,'and means for r normally holdingsaid valve box in posi tion to hold the valves in inactive position.- 5. The combination, with a gas engine, of,l .a movably mounted starting-valve box having distributing passages leading therefrom to each of the engine cylinders, a valve arranged to lead to such passages, means-for normally holding said valves closed, means for normallyv yieldingly holding lthe valve box ininactive position,a cam shaftcarrying cams adapted to act upon the distributing valves when the valve box l,is moved against the action of its yieldingly holdingv vmeans, a series of plungers interposed between said cams and valves, and springs for normally holding-said plungersout of engagement with the cams, said springs being of less strength than the means for nor mally holding the valves cl0sed.

` y 6.; The combination, with aV gas engine,'of a movably mounted starting-valve box hav-- ing distributing passages leading therefrom to each of the engine cylinders, a valve ari ranged to lead to such passages', means for normally holding said valves closed, means for normally yieldingly holding'v the valve box in inactive position, and a cam shaft carrying cams adapted to act upon the dis- 'tributing valves when the valve box is moved against the action of its yieldingly holding means.`

' Inwitness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Knightstown, Indiana, this thday or July, A. D. one thousand nine hundred andten.

JGSIAHP. EDWARDS.' [ne] Witnesses:

Jnssn- S. JAoxsoN, R, Sonwnrrznn.

l opes of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

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